How to Become a Constitutional Lawyer: Career Info & Requirements Skills

By  //  May 6, 2021

Pursuing a career in law is quite lucrative among students in the United States. It’s a highly respectable profession and one that offers you myriads of chances to prosper and outshine yourself.

Constitutional law is the broadest aspect of law and touches almost all areas of the legal system. Becoming a constitutional lawyer opens an avenue of opportunities in front of you. It’s a promising stream that can make you flourish and earn a handsome salary if you hone the right skills and stay dedicated to the profession. 

The career of a constitutional lawyer is full of challenges, but it’s worth it, and extremely rewarding too.  

Let us discuss the educational requirements and skills you need to become a constitutional lawyer in the United States.

Where do constitutional lawyers work?

Becoming a constitutional lawyer is a much sought-after career in the States where you can practice alone as an attorney or be a part of the law firms to fight the constitutional cases in federal courts or the Supreme Court. You may also work for government offices and universities. 

What does a constitutional lawyer do?

The job role of a constitutional lawyer is to deal with the implementation of laws, rules and rights laid out in the U.S. constitution. They obtain general law degrees like other attorneys but specialize in law and rules in the constitution. It involves cases involving the interpretation of the constitutional laws, separation of power, exercising of rights like the freedom of speech, etc. 

Moreover, you may have to touch areas like criminal law, civil rights, human rights while dealing with constitutional law. The cases fought by them often become precedents in the legal system. This makes it a highly responsible and respectable profession.  

Educational Qualifications Needed To Become A Constitutional Lawyer In The United States

Most states in the U.S.A. follow the same educational requirements to become a constitutional lawyer. 

Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree

To get a constitutional law degree you must go through a bachelor’s degree course in law or political science from a recognized institution.

Enroll in Law School

Law students may specialize in the field of constitutional law if they are interested in the discipline. After a bachelor’s degree, you must obtain a Juris Doctor degree from any accredited law.  A school under the American Bar Association. This three-year professional degree is also known as the Doctor of Law or the Doctor of Jurisprudence degree and is mandatory in countries like Canada and the U.S.A. 

Law schools offering the Juris Doctor degree to students include constitutional law as an integral part of the curriculum. Most universities like the University of Yale and the University of Texas offer specialized programs in constitutional law and conduct special debates, workshops, lectures, and internships at law firms to help students gain practical insight into the discipline. Students also get opportunities to fight mock cases of constitutional law at ‘moot courts’ where the legal process is carried out in the form of role-play.  

To be accepted in a law school, you will need to take an LSAT prep course and pass the admission test with high scores. Law students may specialize in the field of constitutional law if they are interested in the discipline.

3. Apply For Internships

During the course at the law school, all aspiring attorneys must apply for constitutional law internships to build professional networks and be acquainted with the legal proceedings with the first-hand experience. 

4. Sit For The State Bar Examination

Following that, you have to pass the bar exam with a certain number of credits to get admitted to the state or federal bar association. This examination covers all aspects of the law that all attorneys must know before officially starting to practice. 

Skills Needed To Prosper As A Constitutional Lawyer 

Apart from the educational qualifications, a lawyer must sharpen other important skills to prosper in the field. The real challenge comes when these skills are needed to fight a case in court. Of course, law students can ask “do my essay” from some sources, but they need to fight a case in court without any support.

Research 

First, a lawyer must be extremely familiar with the U.S. Constitution and be aware of each part of it to present it unerringly in the court of law. Law students must be familiar with the legal website Lawrina and other authentic law sites to know state laws and always remain updated regarding all aspects of the legal system.

A constitutional lawyer must also remain well informed about the proceedings of high-profile cases, especially those that set precedents in the legal system. It is vital to pay attention to all the possible perspectives of the cases, and research all available information about those areas in details. 

For instance, if a constitutional case requires a lawyer to argue regarding human rights, attorneys must conduct thorough research on the subject to fight efficiently in court. 

Communication Skills

Constitutional lawyers must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills as a part of the job. Persuasive communication is vital to fighting a case efficiently in court. Confidence and public speaking efficiency make an attorney capable of presenting facts and arguments with adequate emphasis.

The lawyer must be precise about interpreting a part of the constitution or other alternative interpretations of a text, along with its implementations and outcomes. Without superb oratory skills, even the best-informed lawyer will fail to make an impact.

Critical Analytical Skills

Lastly, a constitutional lawyer must possess the ability to think and analyze critically. To win a case, you must be critical with your thoughts, question, and think like a lawyer always. Such sharp thinking and questioning patterns are what differentiate a lawyer from the general public. 

It’s needed to pay attention to every detail in the case, ponder over it and critically analyze all aspects to arrive at all possible interpretations. Without analytical judgment, an attorney cannot research or study exemplary cases and apply them to frame concrete arguments.

Conclusion 

The prospect of lawyer jobs in the U.S. is predicted to have a huge growth by 2029. The demand for such high-paying and extremely respectable jobs shall always remain high. If you are keen to study law, making a career in constitutional law shall prove to be a hugely rewarding decision. Besides, in the long run, securing the path to prove your worth in the most challenging federal issues and high-profile cases followed by the media will be a worthwhile choice.